Knife.



0. E. SWASBY. KNIFE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1912. 1,089,01 9D Patented Mar53g1914.

coLuMnm PLANOGRAPH co4. WASHINGTON, n. c4

llNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR F. SWASEY, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS.

KNIFE.

i,osaoia.

Application iled January 6, 1312.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, OSCAR F. SwAsEY, citizen of the United States, residing at Beverl.y,in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cutting instruments, and more particularly to a knife adapted to be safely used by the patient him` self in cutting or paring his own corns, since heretofore the use of unsuitable tools and carelessness in treating corns has many times produced serious results.

This invention aims to provide a corn paring tool, the blade of which is double edged and depressed to produce blade portions at an angle to each other to cause the cutting edge to conform to the shape of a corn in cross section and thus facilitate and render comparatively safe the treatment of growths of this kind.

A further aim is the production of a knife having an angular blade adapted to be used as a paring gouge and provided with a tubular handle flattened on opposite sides to engage the shank of the blade and thus form finger grips which aid in using the cutting edge to produce delicate incisions, the connection between the shank and the handle constituting a closure to the adjacent end of the handle.

A still further aim of the invention is to produce a device of this character, the construction of which is such as to insure ease and cheapness in its manufacture and durability, strength and efficiency in use.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description7 it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved tool in operation. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal cross-section of the device perpendicular to the blade thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section at a right angle to the cross-section of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar.. 3, 1914.

Serial No. 669,809.

in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

In the construction of the corn paring knife, of this invention the handle consists of an open ended tube l. The knife portion embodies a substantially round shank 2, the inner end of which is flattened and is inserted in a malleable bushing 3 which forms a closure to one end of the tube l and is rigidly secured therein, the opposite sides i and 5 of the handle being flattened to seize the bushing and prevent rotation of the handle thereon. The flattened sides 4 and 5 constitute finger-grips to aid in using the tool. The outer end of the shank 2 is flattened and broadened to produce a cutting blade 6 which is tapered to a point and is convex in its under side to make it possible to make thin paring cuts therewith. This blade is angular, being depressed at its mid-portion so as to extend downwardly, then upwardly and forwardly 'to cause the portions of the blade to meet at an angle of about O and thus conform to the lower wall of a corn which is substantially in the shape of an inverted cone.

In the preferred construction of the device both edges of the blade 6 are sharpened, and the flat sides of the handle constituting finger-grips are disposed at a right angle to the blade 6 so that the tool maybe readily grasped and the blade thereof easily manipulated to gouge out and remove thin parings from the corn without injury to the adjacent healthy flesh. This construction enables the tool to be firmly seized between the fingers, and fine parings taken from the affected parts, since the blade responds to the hand of the operator and therefore renders improbable the making of a false and injurious cut. As the handle is tubular it is not only adapted to contain an antiseptic preparation for use on the corn but also enables the knife to be constructed at a relatively low cost, as the device can be easily and quickly assembled. lVhen the handle is used as an antiseptic chamber, a detachable cap 8 forms a closure to the outer end thereof and may be attached in any desired way.

In using the device. the parts to be operated upon may be first treated with the antiseptic preparation contained in the handle of the knife. The flattened portion of the tool is then grasped between the fingers,

and the angular blade is used as a gouge and delicately manipulated to cut thin pan ings from the affected parts and thus remove the conical shaped growth without injury to the healthy flesh. Should the person accidentally cut himself the immediate application of the antiseptic to the cut would stop the bleeding and prevent blood poisoning or subsequent soreness. The blade being sharpened on either side permits the tool to be used in a variety of ways and the sharpened point further adds to the utility of the device, since it may be used to pick or cut out the sensitive center of the corn after the upper portion has been removed by the angular blade. The angularly disposed cutting edges of the blade conform substantially to the shape of the inner portion of a corn and thus allow the affected portion to be almost entirely removed without injury to the healthy flesh surrounding the corn, while a straight edged blade could cut no deeper than the normal flesh without injury to the latter. lVhen the cup shaped center of the corn is removed the surrounding flesh protects the sensitive base from pressure and thus stops the pain.

It will be noted that the point of the blade falls within the aXis of the handle and thus makes very delicate manipulation of the tool possible, since by slightly rotating the handle between the fingers, in either direction, the knife may be caused to cut an arc which follows the shape of the corn.

The knife of this invention could be put to various other uses, but the preceding examples are deemed to plainly illustrate the utility of the device.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is l. A cutting tool having a blade tapered to a point and depressed on its upper face to produce cutting portions disposed at an acute angle to each other, the under side thereof being convex, said blade being provided with a flattened shank, and a handle disposed at an angle to both cutting portions secured to the shank.

2. A cutting tool having a blade and provided with a tubular handle, a bushing encircling the shank of the blade and forming a closure to one end of the handle, the tubular handle being flattened on opposite sides about the bushing to secure the latter in place and to provide finger grips.

3. A cutting tool having a blade formed with a flattened shank and a tubular handle, the opposite sides thereof being flattened perpendicularly to the blade about the flattened shank thereof to secure the shank in the handle, and to form finger-grips.

4E. A cutting tool having a pointed blade bent transversely to produce cutting edges disposed perpendicularly to each other and joined by an arcuate cutting edge and provided with a shank, and a handle engaging the shank, the blade point, shank and handle all being in alinement with each other.

5. A cutting tool having a blade formed with a flattened shank and a tubular handlej the opposite sides of the handle being flattened perpendicularly to the blade about the flattened shank thereof to secure the shank in the handle and to form finger grips, the blade having its longitudinal edge portions sharpened and being bent transversely intermediate its length to produce angularly disposed cutting edges.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of witnesses.

OSCAR F. SYVASEY.

Copies of thi: patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

